Back 3.40am this morning.
AA FLIGHT
Left Perth on AA 4.50 am flight. Long term parking ($86 for 7 days)
Arrived 3am. Airport empty, no queueing. Upstairs after a quick and well needed coffee. Left on time, plane maybe 60% full. Kids/Infants called first, then back half of plane, then front. Had 4 seats in row 5. No more leg room than any other seats further down plane. One toilet up front, 2 down back. Seats I thought were not as much room as other airlines, but comfy. Brekky consisted of cereal (coco pop style)and milk for kids. Eaten from provided plastic cup. 18, 000 rp each i believe. Staff were friendly, plane brand new. Were given customs and arrival documents on plane. Arrived 5 mins early. Great take off and landing. We would definately fly AA again, especially as our flight was the only one at 8.30am.
DPS AIRPORT
Being in row 5 got us off quick smart.Ah the sweet smells and souns (let alone humidity) of Bali!! 2 lines of VOA open. Even though technically we were in Bali for 8 days (12.30am return flight) we only paid $10 USD each.
Then through to have visa stuck in passport.
Hand luggage through security x-ray.
Pick up luggage, then waved through customs, just had to hand over the declaration.
Taxi to Dynasty 45,000rp.
From getting off the plane to arrival at the Dynasty, we were 25 minutes.
DYNASTY
9am. Welcoming smiles on arrival, nice to be "home".
Left our luggage as room not ready till 2pm. As we had the room for the night of the 30th, and we actually left at 9pm on the 30th, they let us have the Sat 31st brekky we'd miss, on the first morning we arrived. Huge choice - pancakes, waffles, toast, pastries, muffins, fruit, cereal, fish, nasi gorang, bacon, eggs, omlettes, sausages, 6 kinds of fruit juice, quiches and more, yes more. Good coffee.
Had packed our bathers, hats etc in carry on luggage, so we used the check out lounge to get changed, then off for a cool down. Easily got a pool lounge at 10am. in fact, even though the Dynasty was fully booked, we never had a problem getting at least 2 lounges the whole time.
I thought being such a family marketed hotel, it would be packed with kids, but it was probably half families, half couples/older travellers.
Met up with out mates about 12pm, after 4 of them were left at the airport, negotiating with 5 officials, as 3 of them had come in with only 3 months left on their passports! Cost them a sly $500 AU to make it out!
Got into room at 2.30pm. Family Garden View room in south wing-room 194. The BEST room. Literally 10 steps out to kids pool/gym side then maybe 15 more to the main pool! The 9 family rooms on this wing have the garden off your patio area fenced in, so is very private and only the 9 family rooms use it. Room fantastic, nicely updated.
Kids crashed and burned Sat night as we'd been up since 2am. Room service for dinner.
Couldn't fault the Dynasty at all. Friendly staff, beautiful grounds, secure and good cocktails. It will be nice when they have finished renovating the north and south wings closest to the lobby as they are very old and tired looking.
Had 4 power blackouts while we were in the rooms at night/arvo, so maybe take a little torch so your kids don't freak out.
Ate twice at the themed nights- Wed American BBQ and Thu Satay night.
Both good value for money for us as the kids eat free. Was cheaper for our famliy than eating out.
Gym was good also, it's above the kids club. Got there each morning at 6am, so we could use the exercie bike and weights, then off for a swim.
used the kids club once on the Wed, when the kids made there own pizza for lunch. They loved it. Staff lovely.
OTHER RESTAURANTS
We had 21 in our group and never had a problem getting in to a restaurant. We also never had a problem with getting 6 seperate bills.
Friends ate at the Bali Rani one night and said it was excellent.
Febris was also quite good.
Hard Rock for a mates birthday was good. They made a big fuss. HUGE servings on all food and I mean Huge. I had a chicken BLT and it was literally 2 sandwiches almost 2 inches high!
Bubba gums was ok. Kids had fun, but no one raved about it.
WATERBOM PARK
This place rocks! Please note that if you have a hang over (small or large) do not make the macaroni your first choice! Dizzy and giddy after that one. My kids did every ride and scared their mum silly with their lack of fear! About 5 hours was enough time to do all the rides a couple of times, relax and have some lunch.
Our wrist band had 500,000rp on it and we only used about 280,000rp with lunch drinks and icecreams. Go at least once, it's a great day out. Take a lot of sunscreen and hats.
MONEY CHANGER
Walk out of the Dynasty and to the left about 15 meters to the Kodak shop. Never any problems and always a smile.
Never lower than 8650.
SHOPPING
First day to get an idea of prices, we went to Jennys and Diannes across from Dynasty.
Singlets 20,000
Tshirts 30,000
Strapless elastisized dresses (one size fits all, all the rage) 25,000
Kids tshirts/shorts/skirts 25,000
Watches (basic) 50,000
Sunnies (basic) 50,000
DVD's. Coupls of places near the Dynasty. Across the road and to the right are 2 places, Buy 10 at 10,000 each get 4 free. Good range and helpful.
Just on from the Kodak money changer and before the supermarket is a little place buy 10 get 6 free. Further down towards Kuta is one on the left, double glass doors, lots of TV series, XBOX, PS2 and wii games.
Most places had wii at 20,000 each, buy 10 get 1 free. PS2 games 10,000each.
The DVD's the kids watched were all excellent copies.
DISCOVERY
Always worth a look. Got hubby some Puma sandshoes for about $50. Kids some tshirts. Nothing much though.
R4 NINTENDO DS
Never knew what this bloody thing was until Bali.
Main entance to Mataharis on left wher you buy DVDs. 2 kinds available.
500,000 for 2 gig pre loaded with either girls or boys games. 600,000 4 gig pre loaded with boys AND girls games. We chose the latter as our boy and girl share a DS. Good array of games and only a couple they want to delete. Comes with USB thingy to download more for free.
MATAHARIS
Always love looking around this place. You can pick up really cheap (but good quality) kids tshirts, sometimes for as little as $2.50. They seem to change styles/prices and discounts over night, so if you go again you have more choice. The ladies fashion is always a bit of a giggle, though did pickup some nice shorts for about $12.
Only seems to be 2 toilets in this whole joint, so pee b4 you go as they are rank!!
CARREFOURE
Took a taxi out here. Parking on ground floor, then an array of shops 2nd floor (bits and pieces and surf stores), then Carrefour on the top floor. HUGE. A big supermarket that sells everything. Good if you are staying for a couple of weeks to stock up on stuff. I got some face scrub at about 80% less than I'd pay in Perth. Razors cheap. About 80c each. Worth a look but I probably wouldn't go again.
PEPITOS DELI
South of the Dynasty about 5 mins in a taxi. Not as good as it looks on the website. Got a bit of cold meat, cheese and bicces for afternoon tea, but thats it. Wine expensive ($40) as noted on BTF before.
TRIP HOME
DPS airport could do with a bit of an upgrade, maybe a bit more seating befor you go through to your gate.
Arrived, to have all luggage immediatley go through security xray, with stickers then put on luggage going into hold on plane.
Checked in. AA at counters 1-3 all the way to the left.
Turn around head to your right, then upstairs to pay 150,000 each dept tax. Then through passport stamping bit. Gate 9 for AA flight, again long walk to the left. Very few seats to sit on whilst waiting to go through to gate.
When you are called through, you don't get to take water even if bought in airport. Once on the other side, 2 mens thoroughly checked our hand luggae. Waited for about 20 mins then downstairs to get on one of 2 buses out to the plane. Left 5 mins early. Good take off. Everyone slept on the plane. Had pre ordered a chicked sandwich (came with cheese, ham and lettuce and no chicken and tasted ok) hubby had a hot dog, was ok, Water 12,000 for 330ml bottle. Aust immigration card handed out and plane sprayed (by hand) for something or other.
Arrived 30 minutes early (3.40am) Again, only plane arriving. Picked up duty free, downstairs to passport. If you have a new passport with the little chip, they get you to do it yourself. Waited about 10 mins for luggage then had 3 bags xrayed (oops forgot to declare shells the kids had had engraved at the beach stalls) but was ok. No mention of our 2, 1/2 full litre bootles of alcohol we didn't finish. From plane to car would have been 35 mins tops.
Damn cold when we arrived.
Bali over all, from what the vendors on the beach near Dynasty said,
is quiet. Seems to be hotels are busy, but no ones spending? Wasn't packed on the streets, although the traffic grid locks a bit around discovery, due to the undergroung parking.
Ask any questions you like and I'll see what i can remember.
Looking to go again next ocy and will fly AA and stay at the Dynasty again. The kids feel so safe and comfortable there.
:)